Clothes hangers



M. R. VIUALES CLOTHES HANGERS Aug. 9, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 18, 1965 NveulgR M lcuel. RALuy VIN UALES A-f-romdevs M. R. VIUALES CLOTHES HANGERS Aug. 9, 1966 4 SheetS-Sheet Z Filed Feb. 18, 1965 WL MA Nw NI V Y A R L if www@ Aug. 9, 1966 M. R. vluALl-:s 3,265,258

CLOTHES HANGERS Filed Feb. 18, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR 44 46 45 44 MlueL Rnmy VIUALES ATTORNEY:

M. R. VIUALES CLOTHES HANGERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 18. 1965 INveN-roR Mlauel. RALuy V'IUA L S ATTORIUG YS United States Patent O 3,265,258 CLOTHES HANGERS Miguel Rainy Viuales, Paseo Manuel Girona 5, Barcelona, Spain Filed Feb. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 433,569 Claims priority, application Spain, Mar. 6, 1964, 104,894; Apr. 30, 1964, 166,124; May 12, 1964, 106,333 11 Claims. (Cl. 223-39) The present invention relates to clothes hangers.

The rigid or foldable devices used as a rule for hanging up clothes, are assembled from rigid components of wood, metal, or plastic material, whereof the main disadvantage resides in the said rigidity preventing appropriate adaptation to the shape of the garments which latter are thereby made to assume a wrong position and may become wrinkled, creased or rumpled, and may lose their shape moreover.

The hangers referred to cannot be despatched or stored in a more compact form since their `bulk is irreducible owing to their rigidity and one-piece construction.

According to an essential feature of the present invention, a flexible strap is incorporated in clothes hangers in order to support garments such as coats or jackets as well as trousers, the said strap being mounted thereon at three points out of alignment with each other, which are formed on a robust structure combined with a suspension hook.

Several forms of embodiment of the present invention are to be particularly described hereinafter by way of example but by no manner of means of limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein- FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of the broad side of a rigid clothes hanger.

FIGURE 2 illustrates a section taken along the line II-Il of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 shows a view analogous to that of FIG- URE 1, with a pair of trousers or analogous garment suspended from the hanger.

FIGURE 4 illustrates a section taken along the line IV-IV of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 shows a view in perspective of a foldable or collapsible clothes hanger according to the invention, in an intermediate stage during unfolding.

FIGURE 6 is an elevational View of the broad side of this hanger in the fully extended position.

FIGURE 7 shows an elevational view of the same side of this hanger in the fully folded or collapsed position.

FIGURE 8 is an elevational view of the broad side of another foldable or collapsible clothes hanger according to the invention.

FIGURES 9 and l0 in a corresponding view show the extremities of this last clothes hanger in the fully folded or collapsed position.

FIGURE 1l shows a view in perspective of the middle hinged portion of the cross-piece of the clothes hanger of FIGURES 8 to l0 in the fully extended position.

FIGURE 12 shows a View in perspective of the hinging extremity of one limb section of the said cross-piece.

FIGURE 13 shows a view in perspective of the other extremity of one limb section of the said cross-piece.

The rigid clothes hanger illustrated in FIGURES l to 4 comprises an inner support 1 and an outer strap 2, as well as a suspension hook 3.

The support 1 is preferably made `by moulding or pressing a plastic material, in the form of a central upright limb d and two lateral limbs 5', the latter being longer than the upright limb, situated symmetrically with respect to the axis of the central upright limb, and having a pronounced downward slope. The extremities of all three limb portions have a widened section 6 and their outer edges are rounded off.

3,265,258 Patented August 9, 1966 The strap 2 is made of canvas or sail-cloth and its extremities may be connected by stitching or gluing, but it may be made of plastic or of other appropriate material possessing the liexibility or elasticity allowing its mounting under tension over the rounded corners of the wider sections 6.

The hook 3 is made of wire and traverses the wider extreme section 6 of the central limb 4, being threaded in unconstrained manner through .an orifice 7 in the same, and being endowed with a wider head 8 at its bottom.

The upper sections of the strap 2 are intended to carry a garment such as a coat or jacket, whereas the lower section is intended to carry trousers 9. The strap is caused to sag or warp transversely by the weight of the said garments and Iby virtue of longitudinal stretching moreover assumes concave forms, lacking rubbing edges and rigid sections which could spoil the shape of the garments.

If these clothes hangers are to be made ready for storage or despatch, the strap 2 may be removed, so that their dimensions are reduced to those of their inner support, and they may be made smaller in bulk moreover by mounting the hook 3 in such manner that it may be turned inwards or retracted.

The collapsible clothes hanger illustrated in FIGURES 5 to 7 essentially comprises a central supporting assembly 10, two hinged limb portions 12, and an uninterrupted flexible strap 13.

The central supporting unit 10 has an upper head section guide shoulder 14 possessing a rounded top edge 15 in which a hook 16 is mounted Whereas the limb portions 12 are hingedly mounted on its other ilat extremity 17 by means of pins or the like 18.

The outer extremities of the limb portions 12 comprise guide shoulders or wider sections 19 having rounded edges 20, whereas their hinged extremities have a curvature 21 on a portion of their contour which allows the limb portions to be swivelled, and a flat part along portions 22 of their contour which come into abutment Iagainst each other when these limb portions reach an angular position slightly exceeding each with respect to the central supporting unit 10. The limb portions 12 have narrower sections 23 intended to receive the central supporting unit in the fully collapsed position.

The endless flexible strap 13 is secured on the central supporting unit 1i) by being pinned or traversed by the hook 16, and it is stretched over the rounded edges 15 and 20 in the fully extended position. So that the strap 13 may assume this position, guide brackets 24 or the like have been incorporated to allow the strap to slip on the rounded edges 2t), and are secured laterally on the wider sections 19 by intrinsic clamping force or other appropriate means.

Starting from the lfolded position illustrated in FIG- URE 7, the limb portions 12 need merely be spread apart to position them one in the extension of the other and to spread the strap 13 as `shown in FIGURE 5, after which the limb portions 12 may be swivelled until their flat contour portions 22 come into abutment to establish the extended position shown in FIGURE 6.

The sections 13a and 13b of the flexible strap 10 represent the supporting devices for garments such as coats or jackets, whereas the section 13C represents the supporting device for garments such as trousers. In the case of the latter, the strap curves as shown in FIGURE 4 in respect of the rigid clothes hanger, and the trousers are supported on a flexible surface which does not produce any fold therein.

The central supporting unit 10 and the limb portions 12 will preferably be made of plastic materials, and the flexible strap of textile fabrics.

According to another form of embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGURE 8 to 13, the foldable or collapsible clothes hanger comprises a hinged crosspiece 31, a suspension head 32, and a tlexible strap 33.

The hinged cross-piece 31 comprises two identically dimensioned limb portions 34 which are hingedly coupled to each other by their extremities 3S in such manner as to allow them to be unfolded into rectilinear alignment with each other, and whereof the other extremities 36 comprise devices for fastening the flexible strap 33.

The suspension `head 32 is substantially prismatic in shape, having rounded corners at the top and a hook 37 emerging from its crest, and with a socket-like or analogous housing 38 in a large side which corresponds in shape to the hinged portion of the cross-piece 31 in order to receive the latter in the collapsed position.

The flexible strap is positioned with its centre on the suspension head 32, and with its extremities secured to those of the limb portions 34 of the cross-piece 31.

The hinged cross-piece 31 and the suspension head 32 will preferably be made by forming plastic material yby an appropriate method, and the flexible strap 33 will preferably be made of a textile fabric.

At their extremities 35, the limb portions 34 form a section 39 of half-width, comprising a semicircular enlargement 40 of the same width, the section 39 having a notch 41 and the semicircular enlargement having a hole 42, so that the limb portions 34 may be hingedly coupled to each other at these extremities 35 by means of a bolt 43 or the like, so that they may be unfolded into rectilinear alignment with each other.

The extremities 36 of the limb portions 34 are extended by widened sections 44 which comprise a transversal groove 45 in which the flexible strap 33 is secured by means of a -fold 46 and a keeper or wedging pin 47 for example.

In order to hold the hinged cross-piece 31 in the extended position, one may optionally incorporate locking devices such as a peg or stud 48 in one limb portion 34 and a matching hole 49 in the other limb portion, so that in the extended position, the stud of one limb portion is llockingly engaged in the orifice of the other, these limb portions comprising one or more such studs and/or one or more such matching holes. Analogously, one may optionally incorporate locking devices in order to hold the hinged cross-piece in the folded or retracted position, which devices may comprise a stud or the like 50 and a matching hole 51, of which one or more or one of each for example, may be contrived on the mating faces of the widened sections of the two hinged limb portions, so that the latter are secured in the retracted position by engagement of the one in the other.

The hinged section of the cross-piece 31 is engaged moreover in the housing 38 of the suspension head 32 in the lfolded or collapsed position, the two being of complementary shape, and is secured by means of the projections 52 of the said housing 38 corresponding to the notches 41.

The present invention is evidently not tlimited to the forms of embodiment described hereinbefore by Way of example but by no manner of means of limitation and illnstrated in the accompanying drawings, and modications of detail and/or technically equivalent devices may be introduced therein without thereby exceeding the scope of the present invention.

What I claim is:

1. A clothes hanger comprising in combination a robust structure having three ends which are not aligned with each other, said robust structure comprising a central upright limb portion and two lateral limb portions of greater length symmetrically disposed with respect to the axis of the central upright limb portion, said lateral limb portions sloping downwardly away from said central limb portion and each having a transverse enlargement with rounded edges at their outer ends, an endless flexible strap connected to said robust structure, said endless exible strap being engaged over said enlargements and being stretched between said rounded edges of the transverse enlargements of said limb portions, a hook for suspension of the whole hanger connected to said central limb portion, said hook passing through said strap, the two top sections of said strap extending between said lateral limb portions and said central limb portions being adapted to support one kind of garment and the lower section of strap between the outer ends of said lateral limb portions being adapted to support another kind of garment.

2. A clothes hanger according to claim 1, in which said robust structure comprises a central suspension unit and two limb portions hingedly coupled thereto, said two limb portions having a limited arc of swing, the upper extremity of the said suspension unit and the outer extremities of said limb portions having rounded terminal sections over and between which is stretched an endless flexible strap the two top sections of which form the suspension device for garments such as coats, jackets and the like, and the botom section of which forms the suspension device for garments such as trousers.

3. A clothes hanger according to claim 1, in which each of said limb portions is disposed at an angle greater than a right angle from the central suspension unit.

4. A clothes hanger according to claim 1, in which the endless strap is secured on the central suspension unit by means of said hook, said strap being free to slide on the rounded extremities of the lateral limb portions, said limb portions being equipped with guiding means.

5. A clothes hanger according to claim 1, in which the lateral limb portions are provided with a socket portion adapted to house the central suspension unit in the folded position of the hanger.

6. A clothes hanger, comprising in combination: a foldable robust structure having a central suspension unit and two limb portions hingedly coupled thereto, said limb portions having a socket portion adapted to house the central suspension unit in the folded position of the hanger, the hinged ends of said limb portions abutting with each other in the extended end position thereof and the opposite ends extending outwardly in opposite directions, each of said limb portions forming, in said extended end position, an angle greater than a right angle with the central suspension unit, the outer extremities of said limb portions and the upper extremity of said suspension unit having rounded terminal sections; an endless elastic strap stretched over and between said rounded terminal sections, and adapted to slide freely on the rounded extremities of the limb portions, the said rounded terminal portions having guiding means adapted to guide said strap in its sliding movement; and a suspension hook secured to the upper end of said central suspension unit and to said strap.

7. A clothes hanger comprising in combination: a robust structure having a hinged cross-piece and a suspension head; the ends of which are not aligned with each other, said hinged cross-piece being formed by two identical limb portions which in the folded position of the hanger are substantially parallel whereas in the unfolded position thereof are in rectilinear alignment with each other, interpenetrating locking means being provided on its hinged section adapted to secure the limb portions in the extended unfolded position thereof and interpenetrating locking means being provided near the outer ends of the limb portions adapted to secure said limb portions in the folded position thereof, said suspension head having a housing complementary in shape to the hinged section of the cross-piece and adapted to receive said hinged section in the folded position of the hanger; a strap connected by its central portion to the upper end of said suspension head and connected by its end portions to the outer ends of said hinged cross-piece, said strap surrounding said hinged cross-piece and said suspension head in the folded position of the hanger; and a suspension hook fixed to said suspension head.

8. A clothes hanger comprising in combination a robust structure having a hinged cross-piece and fa suspension head, the ends of which are not aligned with each other, a iiexible strap or elastic strap connected by its central portion to the upper end of said suspension head and connected by its end portions to the outer ends of said hinged cross-piece, and a suspension hook fixed `to said suspension head, said cross-piece and said suspension head being surrounded by said flexible strap in the folded position of the hanger, said cross-piece being equipped with locking devices on its hinged section which are adapted to operate by interpenetration and to secure the limb portions of the cross-piece in the extended unfolded position.

9. A clothes hanger comprising in combination a robust structure having a hinged cross-.piece and a suspension head, the ends of which are not aligned with each other, a flexible strap or elastic strap connected by its central portion to the upper end of said suspension head and connected by its end portions to the outer ends of said hinged cross-piece, and a suspension hook fixed -to said suspension head, the said cross-piece and the said suspension head being surrounded by said flexible strap in the yfolded position of the hanger, the extrerneties of the said cross-piece being equipped with locking devices which are adapted to operate by interpenetration and to hold the limb portions of the cross-piece secured in the folded position of the hanger.

10. A clothes hanger comprising a robust structure having a central suspension head and a hinged crosspiece having ends which extend in opposite directions from said central cross-piece, a flexible strap engaged around said central head and connected at its ends to respective ends of said hinged cross-piece, said suspension head having a socket portion at its lower end, said hinged cross-piece being hinged so that it may be folded upwardly and engaged, said socket portion and said cross-piece having interengageable portions for holding said hinged portion in said socket.

11. A clothes hanger comprising a rigid central upright limb portion and a rigid lateral limb portion connected to said central limb portion and extending laterally outwardly from each side thereof, a hook connected to said central limb portion for supporting the hanger, each of said central and lateral limb portions having strap guide shoulders adjacent their outer ends, and an endless flexible strap engaged on said guide shoulders and forming a hanger outline with oblique strap portions formed between each of said lateral limb portions and said central limb portion and a substantially horizontal portion formed between the outer ends of each of said lateral limb portion.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 674,557 5/ 1901 Heinrich 223-94 756,978 4/1904 Olmstead et al. 223-89 1,278,054 9/1918 Strand 223-89 1,400,220 12/1921 Kaufer 223-89 1,682,626 8/1928 Peckham 223-189 FOREIGN PATENTS 408,827 l/ 1925 Germany. 492,169 2/ 1930 Germany.

24,335 1909 Great Britain.

G. H. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CLOTHES HANGER COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A ROBUST STRUCTURE HAVING THREE ENDS WHICH ARE NOT ALIGNED WITH EACH OTHER, SAID ROBUST STRUCTURE COMPRISING A CENTRAL UPRIGHT LIMB PORTION AND TWO LATERAL LIMB PORTIONS OF GREATER LENGTH SYMMETRICALLY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO THE AXIS OF THE CENTRAL UPRIGHT LIMB PORTION, SAID LATERAL LIMB PORTIONS SLOPING DOWNWARDLY AWAY FROM SAID CENTRAL LIMB PORTION AND EACH HAVING A TRANSVERSE ENLARGEMENT WITH ROUNDED EDGES AT THEIR OUTER ENDS, AND ENDLESS FLEXIBLE STRAP CONNECTED TO SAID ROBUST STRUCTURE, SAID ENDLESS FLEXIBLE STRAP BEING ENGAGED OVER SAID ENLARGEMENTS AND BEING STRETCHED BETWEEN SAID ROUNDED EDGES OF THE TRANSVERSE ENLARGEMENTS OF SAID LIMB PORTIONS, A HOOK FOR SUSPENSION OF THE WHOLE HANGER CONNECTED TO SAID CENTRAL LIMB PORTION, SAID HOOK PASSING THROUGH SAID STRAP, THE TWO TOP SECTIONS OF SAID STRAP EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID LATERAL LIMB PORTIONS AND SAID CENTRAL LIMB PORTIONS BEING ADAPTED TO SUPPORT ONE KIND OF GARMENT AND THE LOWER SECTION OF STRAP BETWEEN THE OUTER ENDS OF SAID LATERAL LIMB PORTIONS BEING ADAPTED TO SUPPORT ANOTHER KIND OF GARMENT. 